This invention pertains to an improved casket having a single press formed base or body, and a stamped top or cap.
In the manufacture of metal caskets, and particularly casket made of various grades of sheet steel or paneling, a relatively large number of manipulative steps are required, many of which necessitate the intervention of considerable manual labor. Consequently, the manufacturing cost of metal caskets is relatively high. Accordingly, it would be of extreme benefit to the industry to reduce the cost of casket manufacture by minimizing the various steps in the manufacturing process, and, of course, the intervention of manual labor.
Normally, when manufacturing metal caskets of steel sheets or paneling, the component parts will be subject to a number of stamping operations requiring various tooling configurations. The stamped casket parts include a top cap or lid, the side and end panels, and the bottom. The side and end panels will be initially tack welded to one another and squared. After squaring, the bottom, sides, and ends will be welded to one another. If the casket is what is termed in the trade an "non-sealer", only the top and bottom rails of the side and end panels will be completely welded to one another to provide a hermetic joint or juncture at this location. Later assembly process decorative hardware will be applied to the corners over the sections that are merely tack welded to one another. Then a corner piece may be added or a "Hammond-type" metal strip applied to the corners between the top and bottom rails. In the event a "sealer" casket is being manufactured, the entire corner including the top and bottom rails and the section therebetween will be completely welded.
The welded corners will be subjected to a grinding opearation followed by buffing and fine finishing to obtain the desired aesthetic appearance. An alternative to grinding and finishing is the addition of a casket corner piece. The top or cap is then assembled. Following assembly the entire casket is passed through a cleaning operation followed by an application of primer and paint to obtain the appropriate decorative appearance. Selected hardware for both the exterior and interior is applied and the interior is suitably trimmed with liners, cloth and other materials.
As can be seen, the above described method of casket manufacture is both complicated, labor intensive coupled with lengthy production times resulting in costly caskets.